Jesus Walks on Water - Bible Story and Lesson Updated October 02, 2015. Scripture Reference: Matthew 14:22-33. This story is also told in Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:16-21, however, the account of Peter walking on the water is not included in these references. Jesus Walks on Water - Story Summary: After feeding the 5000 , Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee . Several hours later in the night, the disciples encounter a storm. Jesus comes to them, walking on the water. This terrifies the disciples who think they are seeing a ghost . Jesus tells them in verse 27, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Peter replies, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." So Jesus invites Peter to come. Peter gets out of the boat and begins walking on the water toward Jesus. But when Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and sees the wind and waves, he begins to sink. Peter cries out to the Lord and Jesus immediately reaches out his hand and catches Peter.

As they climb into the boat together, the storm ceases. Then the disciples worship Jesus, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Points of Interest from the Story: • Jesus sends the disciples away so he can get alone on the mountainside and pray. Even in his busy schedule, spending time with God is a priority for Jesus. • The disciples, even though they have spent much time with Jesus, don't recognize him in the storm. Sometimes we don't recognize the Lord when he comes to us in the middle of our "storms." • Peter doesn't begin to sink until he starts looking around at the wind and the waves. Taking our eyes off Jesus, and focusing on the difficult circumstances will cause us to get under our problems. But when we cry out to Jesus, he catches us by the hand and raises us above the seemingly impossible surroundings. • Peter starts out with good intentions, but his faith falters. This does not, however, end up in failure. Peter, even in his fear, cries out to the Lord, the only one who can help him. • When Jesus gets in the boat, the storm ceases.

When we have Jesus "in our boat" the storms of life will be calmed and we can worship Him. Question for Reflection: Though we may not walk across water, we will go through difficult, faith-testing circumstances. Are you sinking into despair or are you looking to Jesus and his miraculous power for help? What was the meaning of Jesus walking on water? What was the meaning of Jesus walking on water? Subscribe to our Question of the Week : Question: "What was the meaning of Jesus walking on water?" Answer: The miracle of Jesus walking on the water, recorded in three of the Gospels (Matthew 14:22–36; Mark 6:45–56; John 6:16–21), came on the heels of His miraculous feeding of the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:17). But it was the miracle of Jesus walking on the water that, more than any other, convinced Jesus’ disciples that He was indeed the Son of God (Matthew 14:32–33).

The story unfolds at the Sea of Galilee , which lies in the lower portion of the Jordan Valley in a mountain range that rises to 4,000 feet above sea level. The lake itself is 700 feet below the Mediterranean Sea. One of the more noteworthy aspects of this body of water is that it is greatly susceptible to sudden and extremely violent storms. These storms are caused by the cold air rushing down from the mountains surrounding it and colliding with the warm, moist air rising off the surface of the water itself. “When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading” (John 6:16–21). There are several significant points to recognize about this miracle.

First, Matthew tells us that “the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake” (Matthew 14:24–25). Though they were only to travel a short distance, the storm was so violent that, despite all their efforts to control their boat, the storm had driven them nearly four miles out into the very midst of the sea. Being the fourth watch of the night (3:00 AM to 6:00 AM), they had been rowing and straining at their oars for approaching nine hours! They were totally exhausted. Mark tells us that, when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified (Mark 6:48–50). And this brings us to the second significant point of this miracle. Jesus always comes to us in the storms of life.

This is reminiscent of the words of God to Isaiah: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (Isaiah 43:2). The Lord may not come at the time we think He should come, because He knows when we need Him the most. Jesus had waited until the boat was as far from land as possible, when all their hope was gone. In essence, Jesus was testing the disciples’ faith, and this meant removing every human prop. Why did Jesus walk on the water? To show His disciples that the very thing they feared, the raging, seething sea, was merely a set of steps for Him to come to them. Often we fear the difficult experiences of life such as illness, loss of loved ones, and financial hardships only to discover that these experiences can bring Jesus closer to us. But we have to ask, why did they not recognize Jesus? The answer is they were not looking for Him. Had they been waiting by faith, they would have known Him instantly. Instead, they jumped to the false conclusion that His appearance was that of a ghost.

The point is this: fear and faith cannot live in the same heart, for fear frequently blinds the eyes to the presence of the Lord. The third significant point is that Jesus proved Himself to be in command of the elements, something only God can do. He revealed this truth to the disciples who recognized His divinity and responded with a confession of faith in Jesus as God: “The wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’” (Matthew 14:32–33). This was the first time Jesus was called the Son of God by the disciples, a statement that, in fact, built on what they had said earlier about Him in Matthew 8:27: “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him.” Here they answer their own question: “Truly you are the Son of God.” Though they had a long way to go in their spiritual understanding, the disciples were growing in their faith in the Lord. Also, this was the first time the disciples are said to have worshiped Jesus. In Matthew 2:11, the magi from the East worshiped Jesus.

Later, a leper is said to have worshiped Jesus (Matthew 8:2). A synagogue ruler does the same thing in Matthew 9:18. But this is the first time the disciples worshiped Him. It is also important to note that their worship is joined to their confession (Matthew 14:33). And this is what worship is, acknowledging who God is and praising Him both for who He is and for what He has done. It was in this story that the disciples took the first step and worshiped Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus walks on the water - YouTube Jesus walks on the water Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Feb 7, 2014 Original song about Jesus walking on the water written from Peter's perspective. Let your imagination take you back to the sea of Galilee. I had the privilege of singing this song in a boat on the Sea of Galilee which was one of the highlights of my life!

Category Jesus Walks on Water - Bible Story Verses & Meaning Jesus Walks on Water Bible Articles Videos Audio The miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 had just finished and Jesus wanted some time alone to pray so he told his disciples to get on a boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus wanted some time alone to pray. During the journey a dangerous storm overtakes the boat the disciples are in and they begin to wonder where God was. Jesus comes walking to them on the water and the disciples become scared thinking Jesus is a ghost. Jesus calls to them saying "Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." Peter then questions Jesus saying if it really is Jesus, to call Peter to come walk on the water to him. Jesus invites Peter to come walk on the water with him. Peter climbs out of the boat and begins to walk on the water to Jesus. As soon as Peter gets scared of the wind and waves and takes his eyes off Jesus he beings to sink. Jesus reaches his hand down and grabs Peter. They climb back into the boat and the storm stops. The disciples immediately begin to worship Jesus and recognize that he truly is the Son of God.

Matthew 14:22 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. Geneva Study Bible Mark 6 1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. 14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” 17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison.

He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled ; yet he liked to listen to him. 21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. 30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. 35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages ! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people.

He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. 45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.

They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. Geneva Study Bible John 6:16-21 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened.

20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. Jesus Walks on Water - John 6:15-21 - Bible Study with Commentary Verse by Verse Bible Study Bible Study, John 6:15-21: This is the "Gospel of John" account of, Jesus Walks on Water. The Holy Spirit presented bits and pieces of information of this account from each of the four gospels. The most noticeable difference in the accounts of Jesus walks on water, is that Peter isn't mentioned in the Gospel of John; but in Matthew, he gets out of the boat and walks on the water to meet Jesus, (Matt 14:28-32). It seems to be the same occurrence, because Matthew, Mark, and John all show it immediately after He feeds the five thousand. The account of, "Jesus Walking on Water" isn't recorded at all in Luke. After Jesus finished with the feeding of the five thousand, He slipped away; because some of the people wanted to force Him to be King.

He told the disciples to go on ahead of Him to Capernaum, then went up on the mountain by Himself. Jesus Walks on Water, John 6:16-21 VERSES 16-17: "When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them." Capernaum is located to the north of Tiberias, on the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus and the disciples had crossed over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee that morning, it had been a long day and was now dark, and the disciples, in obedience to Jesus, were returning without Him. To Jesus and the disciples, Capernaum wasn't just another place to go. According to the "Jewish Virtual Library," it was where "Jesus, (and several disciples) lived during much of His ministry. These disciples were, Simon Peter - his brother Andrew, James son of Zebedee, his brother John - and Matthew. According to historians, Capernaum was abandoned in the 7th century and rediscovered through archeology.

There, underneath a modern church, are fifth and fourth-century churches, and, the first century House where Peter lived. Capernaum is one of three cities cursed by Jesus. Capernaum: "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."(Matt. 11:23-24). Chorazin: (koh-RAY-zin), Two and one half miles north of Capernaum, was cursed by Jesus, (Matt. 11:21-22). Bethsaida: Also close to Capernaum, was cursed by Jesus for not accepting Him. (Matt 11:21-22), (Luke 10:13-14). Earlier in the day Jesus had fed the five thousand. Darkness had fallen and the disciples were on their way back to Capernaum. This is when Jesus walks on water.

Verse 18: "The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing." It had been a long and difficult day for the disciples. They had crossed the sea earlier, then walked up the mountain where Jesus miraculously multiplied food. The disciples had distributed this food to an estimated multitude of more than twenty thousand. Now, darkness had fallen and they were rowing back across the sea. Verse 19: " When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened." Sometimes problems catch us by surprise, so here they were, in a boat, and other accounts say, there was a storm. Most boats of that time had sails, but sails wouldn't be any good in a storm. They were in this little boat, rowing, in what is estimated to be, the middle of the sea. And it was dark All our storms seem worse at night don't they? In the second part of the verse they see Jesus coming toward them on the water, but they didn't know it was Jesus. They thought it was an apparition.

Verse 20: "But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Jesus stated this in a way that the disciples would recognize Him. But He was walking on water, (an obvious display of His deity). According to translators, instead of saying, "It is I," Jesus could have also been saying, "This is the 'I Am.'" Several of the Old Testament prophets parted the water, (Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha), but, this is the only record of anyone walking on water. Verse 21: "Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going." They surely must have been glad to have Jesus in that boat! Then, "immediately they were at the shore." After all the disciples had witnessed that day, I wonder if they were even surprised that they "immediately" reached their destination. Jesus, walking on water and multiplying food, proclaimed that He is truly the "Supreme Authority" of all the universe. His Disciples didn't know what to expect next. Abandoning their earthly pursuits; they followied wherever He led, and experienced one miracle after another.

What an exciting life! Do you think that's the way He intended for us to live? I think so. Something to remember: The same "John" writing this Gospel was in that boat, and this is his eyewitness report. (testimony) This concludes our study of "Jesus Walks on Water." | Do you think Jesus has a sense of humor? In our next study, the people Jesus had fed were still on the other side of the sea. They had seen the disciples leave without Him, (in the only boat) and were looking for Him. They didn't know about Jesus' "divine mode of transportation." On to Our Next Study : 8. Jesus Walks on Water (Matthew 14:22-36; Mark 6:45-56; John 6:16-24) | Bible.org 8. Jesus Walks on Water (Matthew 14:22-36; Mark 6:45-56; John 6:16-24) Main Point: Keep your eyes on Jesus. Key Verse: Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the author of faith. He also makes it perfect.

- Hebrews 12:2a Props: 2 or 3 spray bottles with water, hand held battery-operated fans or paper fans (or even electric fans), storm soundtrack Teacher: Prearrange with some adults to come up front to distract the students at the right time. They should move around the room and lightly spray kids with water bottles and use fans to blow wind in their face. (If using electric fans, turn them on and point at the kids.) One adult should flash lights on and off as Storm soundtrack plays. Background/Review Say: We have learned a lot about Jesus over the past few weeks. First, we saw that the Jewish people waited hundreds of years for their King. Then, at long last, Jesus arrived. Jesus taught that the kingdom of God was very different than this world. Then we saw that Jesus had power over nature when He calmed the raging sea with just a word. We learned that Jesus has complete power over evil spirits, and Jesus alone has the authority to forgive sin. Last week we saw that Jesus had power over sickness & death, when He healed the woman with the bleeding disorder and raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

As news spread about Jesus, the miracle Worker, more and more people wanted to hear Him and see Him. It seemed that a crowd gathered wherever Jesus was. The gospels tell of one day when a crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, gathered to hear Jesus! (Matthew 14:21) That means there may have been 20,000 people who came to hear Jesus teach that day. And after listening to Jesus teach for hours, the crowd was getting hungry. Jesus took the lunch that a young boy gave Him (John 6:9). It was only two fish and five small loaves of bread, but Jesus broke that bread, and just kept breaking it. The disciples handed out enough bread and fish to feed everyone in the crowd until they were full. And there were twelve baskets of food left over! (Luke 9:17) The disciples were a part of this miracle, yet the Bible says they did not fully understand it (Mark 6:52). The Bible says their hearts were hard, or stubborn (Mark 6:52).

They knew Jesus was special, but they did not yet realize that He was the Messiah, God in a human body (Matthew 14:33). They were not yet seeing with “kingdom eyes.” So, Jesus was about to do another miracle. This time the disciples would finally realize who Jesus really was. Teacher Note: We can’t be too quick to judge the disciples’ unyielding hearts. After all, they did not yet have the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth (John 16:13). How many times do we, though filled with the Spirit, fail to recognize God’s work in our lives? Jesus Walks On The Water (Matthew 14:22-36) Say: Right after the miracle of the fish and bread, Jesus had something new to teach His disciples. He sent the crowd away, and sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee. Remember, the Sea of Galilee was actually a big lake. Right away Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. He had them go on ahead of Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Then He sent the crowd away.

After He had sent them away, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. [Remember that Jesus often sneaked away from other people to spend time alone with His heavenly Dad.] When evening came, He was there alone. The boat was already a long way from land. It was being pounded by the waves because the wind was blowing against it. Early in the morning, Jesus went out to the disciples. He walked on the lake. They saw Him walking on the lake and were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said. And they cried out in fear. Right away Jesus called out to them, “Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” - Matthew 14:22-27 Say: Jesus sent His friends across the lake when the storm winds were coming. Ask: Was the windstorm a surprise to Jesus? No. Say: Of course it wasn’t! Jesus sent them into this storm for a reason. He wanted to test their faith, and teach them something about Himself that they didn’t know yet. Let’s pause right here for a minute. This story is told in the books of Mark and John as well as in Matthew.

John tells us that the boat was over three miles out from the shore by this time (John 6:19). Mark tells us that Jesus could see the disciples from where He sat praying on the mountainside (Mark 6:48). The disciples were having a hard time rowing because a strong wind was blowing against them. Since the disciples had taken the boat, there was just one way for Jesus to cross the lake. Jesus actually walked out to them on the water! Here is another example of Jesus having power over nature. Somehow, the water held Him up. The water treated Jesus differently than it treated the disciples. The disciples were struggling just to row across the lake. But Jesus walked on top of the waves. Do you remember what the disciples said when Jesus calmed the storm in our story a few weeks ago. They said, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!” (Matthew 8:27) Don’t you wonder what it felt like to walk on water? At least one of the disciples did! Mark says that it was so early in the morning that it was still dark out (Mark 6:48). No wonder the men were afraid at first.

But as soon as they heard Jesus’ voice, Peter spoke back. Peter Walks On The Water (Matthew 14:28-29) Peter was a really unique man. He was the boldest of all the disciples. He said things that other people only thought. He was the type of person who did things that other people didn’t have the nerve to do. Peter was completely drawn to Jesus. Peter wanted to follow Jesus with his whole heart. But, many times he made mistakes. “Lord, is it You?” Peter asked. “If it is, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” Jesus said. So Peter got out of the boat. He walked on the water toward Jesus. - Matthew 14:28-29 Ask: Why did Jesus invite Peter to come out to Him, and none of the other disciples? Because Peter asked! Say: Peter is the only disciple who asked to come to Jesus. Knowing Peter, it’s really no surprise that he wanted to walk out to Jesus. The other disciples may have wanted to walk out to Jesus, but none of them would have dared to ask. Peter asked to come to Jesus, waited for Jesus to call him, and then obeyed.

Application: Do you think you are more like Peter - ready to ask God to use you - or are you more like the other disciples who sat in the boat watching to see what would happen with Peter? The Bible says that it’s right to ask God for opportunities (Matthew 7:7). Optional for Older Students: Before he stepped out, Peter said, “If it’s You, tell me to come to you on the water.” Peter wanted to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. But Peter was looking for proof. He was asking Jesus to suspend him in the waves so that he would know for sure that Jesus was God. Jesus did not get angry at Peter for asking this. Jesus simply invited him to, “Come.” Peter had enough faith to step out of the dry, sturdy boat, in the dark, as the wind was whipping up the waves. At first, Peter’s eyes were fixed on Jesus. Peter didn’t have to worry about the wind or waves because he had faith that Jesus would not let him sink. While Peter was focused on Jesus, his faith was strong. He could see the power that Jesus held over all things. He knew how much Jesus loved him, and that Jesus would never let him down.

Application: Your faith will be strong when you keep your eyes on Jesus. As we have learned, Jesus has power over all things. Is there anything that He can’t do? And Jesus loves you. He loves you enough to lay down His life for you. When you know Jesus, you know He is completely deserving of your trust. When you keep your focus on His power and His love for you, your faith will be strong. Peter Sinks (Matthew 14:30-31) Say: But, before long, Peter took his eyes off Jesus. Matthew 14:30 says: But when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid. He began to sink. He cried out, “Lord! Save me!” Right away Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “Your faith is so small!” He said. “Why did you doubt Me?” - Matthew 14:30-31 Say: When Peter looked at the wind and waves, he began to doubt if Jesus was more powerful than the storm that surrounded him (Matthew 14:31). Do you know what the Bible says about doubt? “People who doubt are like waves of the sea.

The wind blows and tosses them around.” (James 1:6b) What an interesting word picture! Peter’s doubt literally caused him to be tossed around in the wind and waves. He began to sink. Ask: Did anything about Jesus change that caused Peter to sink? No! Ask: What changed then? Peter took his eyes off Jesus. Say: Peter looked at the scary storm. He was overwhelmed by the things that were more powerful than he was. But Peter should have remembered that nothing is more powerful than Jesus! While he was focused on Jesus, the things around him were not a threat to him. Say: Let’s try a little experiment. Everyone look up here at me. Just focus on me. Don’t take your eyes off of me. No matter what goes on around you, keep your eyes on me. You can blink, but don’t look away. Okay, “distracters” come on up. Continue telling the kids to focus on you as your prearranged adult volunteers try to distract them, the lights turn on and off, and the storm soundtrack plays. After a few minutes, thank your volunteers. Ask: Was it difficult to keep your focus where it was supposed to be? Listen for answers.

Say: Just imagine Peter’s distractions: the wind was howling and the waves were crashing. Peter turned his focus to the things around him and he doubted Jesus. He was gripped with fear and he began to sink. Of course, when Peter started sinking, Jesus was right there to catch him! Gently, Jesus told Peter that his faith was small because he doubted Jesus. Before we judge Peter, remember, he was the only one willing to step out of the boat that morning. Many people talk about how Peter sank, but few people mention that the other disciples never left the boat. Application: When the disciples first saw Jesus walking on the water, He told them to be brave, and not be afraid. But Peter had a mixture of faith and fear. I think that describes most of us at times. We may start out with faith. We might begin to do something that we know God wants us to do (like being nice to the kid that nobody likes). Or we might have faith that gives us peace in a difficult time (like when a family member is sick, or our parents are arguing). But then we take our eyes off of Jesus. We look at the scary situation around us.

We doubt whether God actually has power over that situation, or if He cares enough to help us. We may stop doing what God wants us to do. Or we may be overwhelmed with fear. You know the kind of fear I’m talking about - the kind that makes you feel like there’s a whirlwind in the pit of your stomach. But here is the truth: Lots of situations are too big or too scary for you to handle, but nothing is too big for Jesus! Don’t focus on the situation you are in. Focus on the One who has power over every situation! What a blessing you have! The Creator of the universe, who has power over all things, is crazy about you! (Zephaniah 3:17) He WANTS to do what is best for you, and He is ABLE to do what is best for you. Focusing on that truth should give you peace. That truth should give you the confidence to step out of your boat and do what it is He wants you to do without any fear. No one’s faith is perfect. If you do stumble, if you ever have a doubt (like Peter did), talk to Jesus about it (Mark 9:24). Jesus never changes.

Just like Jesus reached out His hand and grabbed Peter to keep Him safe, He is that close to you, and He will help you too. The Disciples Praise Jesus (Matthew 14:32-33) Say: Something awesome happened after Peter and Jesus got into the boat. And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” - Matthew 14:32-33 The disciples finally understood who Jesus was. They had already seen Jesus do miracles. But when Peter and the other disciples saw that Jesus could use PETER to walk on the water, their lives were changed. They all knew Peter. Some had known him all their lives. He was just a plain, clumsy, outspoken fisherman. But when he trusted in Jesus, he did something miraculous - he walked on top of the Sea of Galilee! Jesus transformed Peter. Surely Jesus was the Son of God. Application: How does this apply to you? Well, your friends and family know you. They know your faults and the mistakes you make. They know who you really are.

But when you ask God to use you, when you step out in faith, and when you keep your focus on Jesus, He will do amazing things through you. This is what life in the kingdom of God is all about. You will do things you could never do on your own; you will love people who seem unlovable; you will have peace when it seems impossible. Then, you will be a living testimony for Jesus. The people who know you best will know that Jesus is the Lord of lords! PPT VERSE Key Verse: Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the author of faith. He also makes it perfect. - Hebrews 12:2a PPT MAIN POINT Main Point: Keep your eyes on Jesus. © 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide. Special thanks to John R.

Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

Question: What was the water that Jesus walked on
Answer: Sea of Galilee